Why should they? Constitutional law mandates what Americans can't imagine.

Venezuelans get free education to the highest levels and quality healthcare,
subsidized food and housing, land reform, respect for indigenous rights,
job training, micro credit, affordable electricity and cooking gas, gasoline
at 7 cents a gallon, and other social, economic, and political benefits.

Americans get force-fed austerity, growing poverty, high unemployment,
unaddressed homelessness and hunger, and a government beholden solely
to business and privileged elitism.

Venezuela's far from perfect. Major problems remain. Positive steps are
taken to overcome them. Under Chavez, great strides have been made.

America is polar opposite. Class war rages. Wealth is redistributed up.
Business and super-rich elites benefit at the expense of most others.
Social benefits are on the chopping block for elimination.

He's struggling to recover from his fourth cancer surgery in 18 months.
He hopes to be cancer-free. He overcame earlier post-operative problems.

On January 4, Granma International called his condition "complicated by
(a severe) pulmonary infection." Venezuelan Communication and Information
Minister Ernesto Villegas confirmed it.

On national television, his official communique said the following:

"The government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is fulfilling
its duty to inform the Venezuelan and sister peoples of the clinical evolution
of President Hugo Chavez."

"In the wake of the delicate surgery of this past December 11, Comandante
Chavez is facing complications resulting from a severe pulmonary infection."

"This infection has led to respiratory insufficiency, requiring Comandante
Chavezí strict compliance with his medical treatment."

"The government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reiterates its
confidence in the medical team treating Comandante Chavez, which has constantly
monitored the clinical evolution of the patient and has acted with utmost
rigor in response to every difficulty presented."

"The government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela warns the Venezuelan
people of the psychological warfare that transnational media networks
have unleashed in relation to the health of our head of state, with the
intention of destabilizing the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, repudiating
the popular will expressed in the presidential elections of last October
7, and destroying the Bolivarian Revolution led by Chavez."

"These attempts have come up against the resolute unity of the Bolivarian
government, the organized people and the Bolivarian National Armed Forces,
around the leadership and political ideology of Comandante Hugo Chavez."

"Executive Vice President Nicolas Maduro warned about scurrilous campaigns
in relation to the supposed deterioration of (Chavez's) health."

It continues despite "27 (official) communiques in the last 23 days."

The most recent one warned "about the psychological war that the transnational
media network has unleashed in relation to the head of state's health,
with the objective of destabilizing the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela."

He's conscious and stable, said Madur. At the same time, his condition
is "complex and delicate."

BBC is UK owned, operated, and controlled. It lacks credibility. It's
manipulative and unreliable. It proliferates state propaganda. It notoriously
misreports on Venezuela.

On January 2, it headlined "Venezuela opposition demands 'truth' on Chavez
health," saying:

"(T)ell the whole truth," demanded opposition leader Aveledo. He "accused
the government of acting irresponsibly."

BBC accused Maduro of "giv(ing) very little further detail about the condition
of Mr. Chavez."

On January 3, the Australian headlined "Venezuelan oppn wants 'truth'
about Chavez." It joined other anti-Chavista fear-mongerers. So did London's
Guardian.

On January 4, it headlined "Hugo Chavez fights for life as supporters
pray in Venezuela."

Bolivian President Evo Morales was quoted saying "The situation for our
brother Hugo Chavez is very worrying." Saying it doesn't mean he's dying.
Official reliable medical reports will have final say.

Western media reports are manipulative, speculative, and distorted. They
reflect political pornography. Uncorroborated claims have no basis in
fact. Media scoundrels feature them. Truth and full disclosure are suppressed.

On January 3, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said "We don't
have any way to evaluate what's being said, but we have seen concern within
Venezuela that the government's not being transparent."

Throughout Chavez's tenure, he's been Washington's main regional bete
noire. Donald Rumsfeld once compared him with Hitler. Multiple attempts
to depose him failed. Chavez said Washington wants him dead.

Funding opposition forces went on for years. They continue. So do covert
destabilizing efforts. Plots occasionally surface.

So is the AFL/CIO. It's record is longstanding and disturbing. It's an
instrument of US domestic and foreign policy. It represents imperial and
capital interests. It spurns its own rank and file. It's done it for decades.

These and other anti-democratic groups charged with destroying it where
it emerges. Venezuela is regional enemy number one.

Venezuela Analysis (VA) quoted opposition Caracas Metropolitan District
Mayor Antonio Ledezma. He demands a commission be sent to Cuba. He wants
"professionally reliable and morally recognized doctors" included. He
wants them to "verify (Chavez's) state of health."

"I am not asking permission to go to Cuba," he said. "I think we have
the right to go there and see what is happening. We should go and that's
it. Enough of the mystery. Venezuela isn't a colony."

Earlier he said Chavez should resign. He should "separate himself from
his position and dedicate himself to recovering from the illness that
he has had for over 18 months."

VA said a false twitter account was created in Rosa Virginia Chavez's
name. She the president's daughter. She's with him in Cuba. False information
proliferates about her father's health.

On January 4, the Wall Street Journal headlined "Chavez's Appointed Heir
Prepares for Battle," saying:

"Critics" suggest Maduro isn't up to the challenge. He'll "struggle to
control often feuding factions within (Chavez's) political movement."

His charisma doesn't match Chavez's. His ability to galvanize support
"could be tested soon."

Speculation grows that Chavez's illness "will force him from power (despite)
having been re-elected in October."

Despite is commitment to Bolivarian principles, the Journal called Maduro
"an unknown." So was Chavez before 1999.

Maduro is known "more for his loyalty to (Chavez) than for his own ideology
or talents."

Maduro's Bolivarian credentials are impeccable. His ideology is strongly
left of center. He's a former union leader, legislator, National Assembly
Speaker, and foreign minister.

He's called Chavez's most capable administrator and politician. He prioritizes
stability and fair-mindedness. He'll rise to the occasion if called on.

His leadership experience prepared him effectively. The Journal belittled
his "lower-class" background. It criticized his ties to Cuba. It's concerned
about his relations with China, Russia and Iran.

It denounced his recent comments on Obama. He condemned him for calling
Chavez's policies authoritarian.

It quoted a former unnamed Mexican diplomat. He "met" Maduro. He "wasn't
impressed."

"He lacks experience, and will have a hard time holding things together,"
he said.

In 1998, Chavez was largely unknown. He accepted the challenge. The rest
is history. If called on, Maduro understands what's at stake. His Bolivarian
commitment motivates him to carry the torch responsibly.

On January 4, the Havana Times headlined "Hugo Chavez Battles for Life
in Cuba."

"The government of Venezuela reiterates its confidence in Chavez's medical
team, which maintains an ongoing monitoring of the evolution of the patient
and has acted with the utmost thoroughness with each difficulty presented."

Maduro sharply criticized manipulative opposition fear-mongering. He called
it "righ-wing necrophilia." They "long for a disastrous announcement."
They invent their own.

Chavez's vital signs are stable, said Maduro, in spite of challenging
respiratory problems that "affected him seriously."

Venezuelans pray for his full recovery. So do millions of global supporters.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book is titled "Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge
discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour
on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and
Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.